New Kids
by katykat5
Summary: Nick and Jess are married and have two kids, and life is perfect. Not! The couple still have much to learn about parenting and their lives have become a balancing act. By Maryam and Katy. Disclaimer: We don't own Nick, Jess, or any of the wonderful parts of New Girl


_**1. First Day of School**_

He watched as she skipped off to play with the other kids. Her black curls bounced lightly at her shoulders and she sported a red polka dot dress. She seemed so happy until she suddenly tripped over nothing. Nick started after her but was pulled back by Jess.

"She's fine, Nick! Look. She's getting up." Sure enough, little Penelope was up and skipping again without a care in the world. As for Nick, he continued to stare with a look of distress plastered across his face.

Jess rolled her eyes at Nick's over-protective nature. "You can't hold her hand through life. You gotta let her go to preschool, maybe trip a couple times, and grow up. You're not gonna be one of those dads who follows her to her first date and sits in the corner with a pair of binoculars!" Jess finished her rant practically panting and out of breath. Memories of ridiculous stunts by her own father in his attempts to protect her assaulted her brain. She wasn't going to let Nick shelter Penny from the joys of the world.

Nick's expression changed and he appeared flustered now. "Whoa whoa hold on now. Who says she's going on any dates?!"

Jess sighed loudly in response and began to drag Nick towards the car. They got in and Jess began to lecture him on sheltering and parenting. Nick, the perpetual pessimist, revisited his explanation to Jess on how people are the worst. Eventually, Jess managed to sneak into the conversation the fact that she had signed Penny up for tap and ballet.

"I guess that's... cool. But then why do you look so guilty." Nick looked quizzically over at Jess whose huge eyes gazed straight down. She was pushing the hair behind ears with her middle fingers, I nervous habit of hers.

"Well, here's the catch." Nick waited, staring straight ahead at the road. "You have to sit through her practices, I won't have time." Jess looked up and searched his eyes, and she could swear she saw the urge to panic moonwalk in them. The both continued to stare in silence until A loud honk signaled Nick that the light had turned green. Nick had been imagining having to watch girls in tutus during the World Series or the Superbowl. He started driving again while slowly sinking into the back of his chair and muttering "no no no no no..." The whole ride to Jess' school, she tried to convince him how much fun it would be (but to no avail). When they pulled up to the school, Jess opened her big eyes wide and mustered up the cutest face she could. "Sorry, I love you!" She said.

Nick softened at that. "Well... I guess it can't be that bad..." Jess grinned from ear to ear and clapped her hands together.

"Perfect! Thanks Nick." Jess leaned over and pulled Nicks face to hers, giving him an appreciative kiss before she hopped out the door. She walked to the building singing "my husband is gonna watch ballet!"  
Nick buried his face in his hands, thoroughly embarrassed.

Nick drove off quickly and headed back home to spend the rest of the day stressing and sitting by the phone. He had taken the day off (much to Jess' dismay) in case anything went wrong with Penny at her first day of preschool.

He stared blankly at the tv, cursing the fact that he couldn't use beer as a sedative today. Numerous sports games later, the phone rang. Nick jumped at the sound and nearly knocked the phone to the floor. He picked it up anxiously and answered, "Hello?"

"Mr. Miller? This is Paradise Preschool." The horrible scenarios of what could've happened to his daughter ran through his head. "Your daughter Penny..." Nick held his breathe, "just wanted to call her Dad and say hello." Nick collapsed back on the couch in relief, and small grin appearing on his face.

"Daddy?" Penny's voice was enthusiastic and slightly mischievous.

"Hey sweetie, what's up?"

Nick waited as Penny thought of what to say, the only sound coming through the phone being children's laughter and screams.

Then Penny replied, "I... just wanted to talk to you" and she giggled. Nick heard what sounded like the phone dropping and the pitter patter of Penny's little feet running away. He was about to hang up before he heard Penny tell someone, "I just said something funny!" A woman's voice tiredly replied, "that's great Penny." Nick shook his head and realized he had nothing to worry about, Penny was going to be just fine.

* * *

Hoping to help Nick take some of the edge off, Jess suggested they go out on a date. He was reluctant at first, thinking he would be stressing the entire time and inadvertently ignore Jess. But when he got to the pier with her he forgot about the world and it was just the two of them. Only she had that power over him. But they weren't a newly married couple anymore, they had kids now. And they couldn't burden their friends with babysitting (or burden their children with having to put up with Schmidt) all night. Nick and Jess left their nirvana and headed to Cece and Schmidt's house.

"Penny!" Jess called out, as she entered her best friends huge house.

"Mom and Dad are back, Penny" called Nick as he followed Jess up the stairs to Priya's bedroom. They expected to find Penny in there with Priya because the girls had become best friends. It was no surprise that the daughters of Ness and Schmece would click instantly.

"Hey guys" Jess said as she opened Priya's bedroom door, but there was no one in there.

Before she could start to panic, Nick said, "I hear them giggling in there," pointing at Cece's room, "should we go in?"

"Of course we can go in! It's Cece and Schmidt's house. Its like we own the place anyway" said Jess, opening Cece's door. Both of them gasped at the mess in front of them.

Cece's makeup was...everywhere. All her lipsticks, lip glosses and brushes were scattered on the floor, her foundations and face powders were all tipped over, and there was blue shimmery powder on the carpet that looked a lot like eyeshadow.  
And in the middle of it all...were the two girls. Nick and Jess took one look at them and burst into fits of laughter. Penny and Priya had makeup all over their face, from smudged eyeliner all in the wrong places to lipstick that was anywhere but the lips. Jess stopped and tried to catch her breath. She couldn't imagine how mad her friend would be when she saw this.

When the two little girls realized Nick and Jess were there, they ran up to them spiritedly.

"Look daddy! Priya did my makeup! How do I look?" asked Penny, smiling adorably up at Nick. Trying hard not to laugh, Nick said, "just like a princess!"

"See I told you I could do it!" Priya exclaimed, with her hands on her hips. She looked every bit like Cece from her brown skin to her straight bangs. " I'm going to grow up to be a model just like mommy!" Priya said proudly.

Meanwhile, Jess took out her phone to take a picture of the two. She just had to capture this adorable moment. "Hey kids come here and pose for a picture." They both came and stood before her with arms around each other. They looked ridiculous smiling up at her with all that makeup piled up on their cute little faces, and it was hard for Jess to take a picture because she was laughing so much. But she finally got it and gave each of the girls a kiss, careful not to get any makeup on herself.

"Now," said Nick, pointing all around himself, "now, we fix this."

* * *

After endless amounts of carpet cleaner, Nick, Jess, and Cece had managed to hide the evidence of the girl's destruction well enough. If they were lucky, they would avoid the wrath of Schmidt.

"I don't see why we are cleaning this up, HE was supposed to be watching them!" Nick reasoned. He was angry, exhausted, and just wanted to go home. He asked Cece, "What were you guys doing anyway?"

"Schmidt got his foot stuck in the air vent... Again." Cece was obviously frustrated with Schmidt, Jess and Nick couldn't believed they had survived this long.

"Okay, I'm not even gonna ask." Nick shook his head in confusion. "Come on Penny, it's time to go home."

"What about Jake? Penny asked. Nick and Jess looked at each other, shocked that they had almost forgotten their 8 year old son who was currently playing basketball with Winston.

"Yep, that's what I meant. We will go get Jake then go home," Nick replied reassuringly.

* * *

Nick and Jess collapsed back on their bed after the long day, with Penny's first day of school, the make-up fiasco, and almost leaving their son with Winston. Jess looked at Nick and noticed his brows were furrowed in concentration. Then he asked her, "Hey Jess, am I bad at this?"

"What, parenting? Nick you are an amaz..." Nick interjected.

"No I mean life in general." Jess looked at him seriously for a moment, then said "Well..." They both burst out laughing.

Finally, Jess asked, "So is this about your big case tomorrow? Because you are also a great lawyer! Is little Nick nervous cause he's gonna be on television?" Jess was sitting up and taunting him now. She started doing her best chicken impression, and of course Nick put on his turtle face. Jess mirrored him and started doing a Nick impression.

"I'm Nick Miller, and I'm a grumpy lawyer chicken. I don't want to go on TV because then the world will see my turtle face!" Jess giggled at herself, and Nick couldn't help the smile that made its way onto his face, despite his best efforts to remain a turtle. Before she could recover from her fits of giggles, Nick pulled Jess in for a kiss. They held each other and kissed, finally content.

"Mom, Dad!" Penny's yell snapped them out of their moment of peace. They both sighed and slumped their shoulders. Jess reluctantly got up to tend to their daughter and brought Nick with her.


End file.
